Automatically actuated illuminating means for containers provided with hinged closures



Oct. 23, 1951 M. c. BAlLLlE AUTOMATICALLY ACTUATED ILLUMINATING MEANS FOR CONTAINERS PROVIDED WITH HINGED CLOSURES Filed Feb. 4, 1949 Nz'ifon -67 Ban /1 6 Patented Oct. 23, 1951 AUTOMATICALLY ACTUATED ILLUMINAT- ING MEANS FOR CONTAINERS PROVIDED WITH HINGED OLOSURES Milton 0. Baillie, Fort McPherson, Ga. Application February 4, 1949, Serial No. 741680 6 Claims.

This invention relates to a compact, vanity case or make-up kit having a self-contained light source arranged to illuminate the face of the user with the compact held in a normal position for use and provided with a novel means whereby the light source can be energized and a reflector thereof moved to an open, operative position automatically upon opening of the compact.

Another object of the invention is to provide a compact or make-up kit the illuminatng means of which may be rendered inoperative and while the compact is in use where a need for illumination of the face of the user does not exist.

Another object of the invention is to provide a compact or make-up kit which may be constructed of a relatively small size and relatively thin so that the self contained illuminating means thereof will not render the compact large and bulky.

Num rous other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawing, illustrating a presently preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein:

Figure 1 s a perspecive view showing the compact in a closed position;

Figure 2 is an enlarged plan view showing the compact in a fully opened position but with the light source reflector in a closed position;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan view of a portion of the open compact but showing the light source reflector in an open position;

Figure 4 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line -fi of Figure 1, and

Figure 5 is an exploded perspective View of the latch elements and associated parts of the compact, illustrated. on an enlarged scale.

Referring more specifically to the drawing, the numeral 5 designates generally a container constituting the housing or body of a compact and it is to be understood that the term compact as employed herein is intended to include vanity cases, small make-up kits and other portable containers employed for carrying make-up or utilized in the applying of make-up. The container 8 includes a bottom section 1 and a top section 8 which sections are substantially identical in external construction each including an outer wall, side Walls and end wall. The sections '1' and 8 are normally disposed with the edges of their side and end walls in abutting engagement so that the open side of each section is closed by the open side of the other section and complementary edges of complementary end walls thereof are connected by a hinge 9, preferably a conventional spring hinge which will cause the upper section 8 to move to an open position when unlatched, or said sections may be connected by an ordinary hinge not provided with a spring means.

A frame 18 con aining a mirror H is suitably secured to the inner side of the top 8 and extends to the hinged end wall thereof and to a'point adjacent and spaced from the opposite, free end wall and said frame It likewise terminates in spaced relationship to the side walls of the top 8, as clearly illus rated in Figure 2, to provide spaces l2 and 63 within the top 8, at either side of the mirror H and which extend from end-toend thereof. A guide l4 extends between the out r end wall of the top 8 and the adjacent end of the frame IE! and intermediate of its side edges and has an outwardly projecting spring latch member I 5 secured thereto.

The bottom section 5 is provided adjacent its free end with a transverse wall I6 and has two longitudinally extending parallel internal walls ll which combine with the intermediate portion of the transverse wall iii and the hinged end wall of the bottom section 1 to provide a compartment or chamber 58 adapted to contain make-up material, not shown, and which is normally closed by an internal cover [9 which is hinged at 20 to the transverse wall 56 and the free end of which engages on an internal shoulder 2| of the hinged end wall of the section 1, when in a closed position, as seenin Figure 4. The walls I! are spaced a distance apart substantially equal to the width of the mirror frame It} to form longitudinally extending side chamhere 22 and 23, complementary to the chambers I2 and I3, respectively, but whiche'xtend from the hinged end of the bottom section 1 only to the transverse wall [6. I

As best illustrated in Figure 3, the bottom section '1 is provided with spaced substantially parallel walls 25 which extend between the wall l6 and its free end wall and between which is disposed an arcuate', downwardly bowed reflector 25 which combines with the walls 24 to form a light source chamber containing a light bulb 26 the base of which extends through and is detachably mounted in one of the end walls 24, as best seen in Figure 3. As best seen in Figure 4, a cover 27 is provided with a depending end wall which is hinged at 28 to the upper edge of the intermediate portio'n'of the wall it. An arcuate; upwardly bowed reflector 29" is disposed in the cover 2'! and extends from the hinge 28. A tongue 30 is struck down from the intermediate portion of the reflector 29 and is provided with a wedge-shaped free end 3| forming an upwardly facing shoulder 32 on its outer side, for a purpose which will hereinafter become apparent. The cover 21 is provided with an outwardly opening notch 33 which aligns with the notch formed in the reflector 29 by the tongue 38 for accommodating the spring latch 15, as illustrated in Figure 4 and as will hereinafter be described more in detail. The opposite, inner side of the tongue 3| is covered with a strip of electrical insulating material 34.

The recess 22 of the bottom section 1 contains a spring clip 35 which opens upwardly to detachably engage a dry cell battery 39 to releasedly retain it in said recess or chamber 22. The hinged end wall of the bottom section I has a spring 31 secured at one end thereto and provided with a free end which is offset inwardly of the chamber 22 to yieldably bear against the base end of the battery 36 for yieldably urging it toward the transverse wall IS. A conductor strip 36 of electrical conducting material has one end fixedly disposed in a recess 39 of the wall [6 and positioned to be engaged by a positive terminal tel of the battery 36. The conductor strip 38, which is also of resilient material, has an opposite end extending through the wall 24, located adjacent the chamber 22, and the terminal portion of which is disposed within the light chamber formed by the reflector 25, as clearly illustrated in Figures 3 and 4. A second conducting strip 4| has one end thereof in electrical contact with the end or base contact of the bulb 26 and extends therefrom through the recess and is electrically connected by an extension thereof with the spring 31 which is likewise of electrical conducting material to form an electric connection with the base or negative end of the battery 36. A resilient strip 42 of electrical conducting material has one end thereof engaging the annular shell portion forming the other contact of the base of the light bulb 26 and has an angularly disposed end extending therefrom in normally converging relationship to the end of the conductor strip 38 which is disposed in the reflector 25 and which is spring biased into engagement therewith, as illustrated in Figure 3 to complete an electric circuit from the positive end of the battery 36 through the conductor stri 38 and the strip 42 to and through the bulb 26 to the strip 4| and from the stri 4! through the spring 3! to the base or negative end of the battery 36. The angularly disposed resilient arm of the strip 42 which forms a switch arm is provided with a portion 43 which is offset away from the adjacent portion of the conductor strip 38, as clearly illustrated in Figures 3 and 5.

The reflector 25, at the end thereof remote the hinge 28 is provided with an inwardly extending flange 44 and therebeneath is provided with an opening 45 which registers with an opening 46 formed in the free end wall of the bottom section 1. A spring latch member 41 has one end thereof anchored to the inner side of the free end wall of the section 1 and has an intermediate portion projecting outwardly through the opening 46 and an inwardly extending free end which extends inwardly through the opening 45 and through the opening 45 and which is normally disposed, as seen in Figure 4, adjacent a portion of the spring latch I5. Said spring latch I is provided on its outer side with an enlargement 4 forming an upwardly facing shoulder 48 which engages under the flange 44 to releasably retain the top section 8 in a closed and latched position relatively to the bottom section I, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 4.

The hinge 28, which constitutes a spring hinge to normally urge the cover member 27 and reflector 29 to an open position is limited in the extent that it can move said parts in an open position by a portion of the cover 21 engaging the cover member l9 so that the reflector 29 and cover 21 can move upwardly from their full line to their dotted line positions of Figure 4 or through an arc of substantially 75. When the reflector 29 is thus disposed in an open position, as seen in Figure 3, the electric circuit, as previously described, will be closed so that the bulb 26 will be energized and the reflectors 25 and 29 will reflect the light rays therefrom upwardly and outwardly and on to the face of the user of the compact so that the user when facing the mirror II will have her face illuminated. Obviously, the cover section 8 may be disposed at any desired angle with respect to the bottom section 1 to correctly position the mirror H to suit the user. To close the compact 6, the cover section 8 is swung toward a closed position and as it approaches a fully closed position the wall 14 thereof will strike the free end of the reflector cover 21' to force said reflector cover downwardly in advance of the cover section 8. As the reflector cover moves downwardly, the tongue 38 will enter the space between the strip 38 and the ofiset strip portion 43 and its wedge portion 3! will cause the conductor strips 38 and 42 to be forced apart and out of contact with one another. As the wedge portion 3| moves entirely through the space between the strips 38 and 42 it will assume a position so that its shoulder 32 will engage the bottom edge of the strip 38 to thereby latch the closure 2'! and reflector 29 in the r closed ositions of Figures 2 and 4. The insulating strip 34 of the tongue 39 being in contact with the offset strip portion 43 will insulate the strip 42 from the tongue 38. Substantially simultaneously, the latch member 15 will move downwardly between the flange 44 and tongue 30 and will force the tongue 3|! to the left of Figure 4 so that its projection can pass the flange 44 and so that its upwardly facing shoulder 48 thereafter engages therebeneath to latch the cover section 8 in a closed position.

To reopen the compact 6, the latch actuator 41 is pressed inwardly to cause its free end to engage and force the spring latch I5 and the spring tongue 30 inwardly of the compact 6 to disengage the shoulder 48 from the flange 44 and the shoulder 32 from the strip 38 so that the spring hinge 28 can force the reflector cover 21 and reflector 29 to their dotted line positions of Figure 4 and will also partially open the cover section 8. If the compact is being used in the daytime and the light is not desired, the parts 21 and 29 may be manually pressed back to a closed position and will close and latch independently of the cover 8 in the manner as previously described and may be opened again at will and while the cover 8 remains in an open position by merely pressing inwardly on the latch actuator 21 to cause its free end to engage directly with the tongue 38 and bias it inwardly for disengaging the shoulder 32 from the strip 38.

It will be readily apparent that the upper half of the battery 36 can be accommodated in the recess l2 o that the case or housing 6 can be made relatively thin and lipsticks and other implements employed in make-up may be contained in the recesses 13 and 23. It will also be readily apparent that the battery 36 can be removed and replaced readily when required.

Various modifications and changes are contemplated and may obviously be resorted to, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. An illuminating means for a compact comprising, in combination with a casing formed of top and bottom hingedly connected sections having a spring latch element carried by the top section for engagement with a stationary keeper of the bottom section and a latch actuator carried by the bottom section operable for releasing said spring latch from the keeper, a light source disposed within the bottom casing section, a reflector for said light source contained within said bottom section and bowed in a direction away from the light source and disposed around a substantial portion thereof, a self-contained source of electric current detachably mounted in said bottom section and adapted to be partially contained in the top section when the casing sections are latched in closed positions, conductor means connecting the light source and current source including a resilient conductor arm normally disposed in a circuit closing position, and means disposed to be engaged and actuated by the top casing section upon movement of the casing sections to a closed position for engaging and moving said resilient conductor arm to a circuit interrupting position, said reflector includ ing a stationary portion and a movable portion, a spring hinge for mounting said movable refiector portion and for normally urging it to an open, extended position relatively to the stationary reflector portion, and said means comprising a spring tongue carried. by the movable reflector portion for movement out of engagement with the resilient conductor arm to release said arm for movement to a circuit closing position when the reflector is opened.

2. An illuminating means for a compact comprising, in combination with a casing formed of top and bottom hingedly connected sections having a spring latch element carried by the top section for engagement with a stationary keeper of the bottom section and a latch actuator carried by the bottom section operable for releasing said spring latch from the keeper, a light source disposed within the bottom casing section, a reflector for said light source contained within said bottom section and bowed in a direction away from the light source and disposed around a substantial portion thereof, a self-contained source of electric current detachably mounted in said bottom section and adapted to be partially contained in the top section when the casing sections are latched in closed positions, conductor means connecting the light source and current source including a resilient conductor arm normally disposed in a circuit closing position, and means disposed to be engaged and actuated by the top casing section upon movement of the casing sections to a closed position for engaging and moving said resilient conductor arm to a circuit interrupting position, said reflector including a stationary portion and a movable portion, a spring hinge for mounting said movable reflector portion and for normally urging it to 6 an open, extended position relatively to th stationary reflector portion, and said means comprising a spring tongue carried by the movable reflector portion for movement out of engagement with the resilient conductor arm to release said arm for movement to a circuit closing position when the reflector is opened, said tongue having a shoulder for engaging in a portion of the conductor means for releasably retaining the hinged reflector sections in a closed position, and said spring tongue being released by the latch actuator when the compact casing is opened.

3. A compact formed of hingedly connected top and bottom casing sections containing complementary recesses, a self-contained source of electric current demountable contained in one of said recesses and partially disposed in the other recess when the casing is closed, spring latch means for releasably retaining the casing sections in a closed position, a latch actuator for releasing the spring latch means, a reflector supported by one of said casing sections, a light source contained within said reflector, electrical conductor means connecting the light source and current source including a resilient conductor arm normally disposed in a circuit closing position, a cover for said reflector and light source, a resilient tongue carried by said cover for engagement with the resilient conductor arm for moving it to a circuit interrupting position when the cover is closed, and a spring hinge for normally urging said cover to an open position.

4. A compact as in claim 3, and a shoulder carried by a portion of said tongue for engagement with a portion of the conductor means for releasably latching the reflector cover in a closed position.

5. A compact as in claim 3, and a shoulder carried by a portion of said tongue for engagement with a portion of the conductor means for releasably latching the reflector cover in a closed position, said tongue being normally disposed against the spring latch to be actuated therewith by the latch actuator for simultaneously releasing the casing sections and reflector cover.

6. A compact as in claim 3, and a shoulder carried by a portion of said tongue for engagement with a portion of the conductor means for releasably latching the reflector cover in a closed position, said reflector including a movable section carried by said cover, said reflector including the movable reflector section being outwardly bowed relatively to the light source.

MILTON C. BAILLIE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,014,266 Sherbondy Sept. 10, 1935 2,021,015 Muller Nov. 12, 1935 2,179,669 Parkin Nov. 14, 1939 2,258,540 Cressaty Oct. 7, 1941 2,453,621 Chinn Nov. 9, 1948 2,454,527 Taschereau Nov. 23, 1948 2,468,248 Wachtel Apr. 26, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 7 Number Country Date 390,802 England Apr. 6, 1933 

